The events of the past week and most crucially the assassination of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, are of momentous significance for Yemen and are sure to have lasting impact for the foreseeable future.

The strongman of Yemen was allegedly killed by members of the Houthi forces, the longtime enemies with whom he forged an alliance for the sake of expediency.

In his now most famous utterance, Saleh compared ruling Yemen to dancing on the heads of snakes. His 34-year rule over the country was marked by consolidating power centrally around his inner circle, and an extensive and intricate patronage network. The personal wealth and power that he amassed remained in a few hands, leaving Yemen the most under-developed country in the region. The 2011 Arab Spring protests in Yemen and subsequent National Dialogue Conference offered new hope for the country that has all but faded from memory under the current conflict which began officially in March 2015.